Method and Apparatus to Create a Contoured Flow Wrap Package

ABSTRACT

An apparatus comprises a flow wrapper disposed and sealed about a product. The flow wrapper has a sealed leading edge and a sealed trailing edge, wherein at least one of the sealed leading edge and the sealed trailing edge comprise a non-linear seal, and the sealed leading edge and the sealed trailing edge are different from one another with respect to a lateral contour across the flow wrapper. The apparatus may further comprise at least one non-linear periphery.

FIELD

The invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for wrapping articles, and more particularly to apparatus and methods for flow wrapping articles.

BACKGROUND

It is known in the art to flow wrap articles for sale. In this known process, a continuous film of the wrapping material, which can have labeling and/or artwork applied to it, is disposed around the articles and sealed with a continuous seal to form a tubular shape. A sealing station then creates a lateral seal on either side of each article to completely encapsulate the article within the wrapping material. The areas between the flow wrapped articles are then cut to form the final packaged articles. Commonly, the cutting and the creation of the lateral seals are performed simultaneously.

With this traditional flow wrap process, the sealing and the cutting are applied perpendicular to the feed direction, creating a rectanglularly-shaped package when viewed from above. This produces a flow wrapped product where the shape of the article only influences the package by determining the necessary length, width, and height. Additionally, this traditional process creates a utilitarian package and does not utilize the seals or the edges of the package as a medium for advertising.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the method and apparatus to wrap a plastic container described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 comprises a flowchart as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 comprises a schematic side elevation view as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 comprises a perspective view of a seal insert as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 comprises a top plan view of a package in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5 comprises a perspective view of a package in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally speaking, pursuant to these various approaches, an apparatus is provided comprising a flow wrapper disposed and sealed about a product. The flow wrapper has a sealed leading edge and a sealed trailing edge, wherein at least one of the sealed leading edge and the sealed trailing edge comprises a non-linear seal. Further, the sealed leading edge and the sealed trailing edge are different from one another with respect to a lateral contour across the flow wrapper. The apparatus may further comprise at least one non-linear periphery.

So configured, an article may be economically and efficiently wrapped, shipped, and offered to the consumer in package where the leading and trailing seals have a different orientation from one another (i.e., they are not parallel to one another), thus providing a new design configuration that can be used to attract the attention of the consumer and to create goodwill with consumers. The flow wrapper can provide the same traditional protection to the wrapped product as provided by rectangularly-shaped wrappers. These teachings may be implemented using existing deployed technology. These teachings may also be readily scaled to accommodate single or multiple portions, and varying sizes of articles. These teachings will provide an apparatus to create a package with an innovative appearance that can be utilized to catch consumers' eyes, provide or otherwise support advertisements, and create brand recognition while still providing the protection of a sealed flow wrapper.

These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thorough review and study of the following detailed description. Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 2, these teachings are generally applicable for use with a product 200. This product 200 may be formed of any material, including, for example, plastic, metal, organic, or some combination thereof. One example product 200 is a food item. For the sake of illustration, but with no intention of suggesting any limitations with respect to these teachings, this food item will be assumed to comprise a pizza having a generally round shape.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, in step 100 the product 200 is provided on a conveyor 205. Conveyor systems of various kinds are well known in the art and require no further elaboration here. The conveyor 205 feeds the product 200 in the feed direction, indicated generally by the arrow denoted by reference numeral 210. Eventually, the conveyor 205 feeds the product 200 to a flow wrap fixture 215.

In step 105, the flow wrap fixture 215 disposes the product 200 within a flow wrapper 220. By one approach, the flow wrap fixture 215 has a spool of flow wrapper 220 that is fed out in a continuous manner. The flow wrapper 220 is then manipulated to be folded generally in half longitudinally to thereby become disposed around the product 200. The sides of the film wrapper 220 that are opposite the folded edge are then sealed to one another by any suitable method, such as by opposing fin wheels or a horizontal sealing bar. This process provides a continuous tubular flow wrapper disposed around multiple instances of the product 200 as the wrapper flows in the feed direction 210.

By another approach, the flow wrap fixture 215 has two spools of flow wrapper 220 that provide two flows of continuous sheets with one sheet on one side of the product 200 and the other sheet on the opposing side of the product 200. The two spools may be of the same material, or alternatively could be different materials as needed. The two sheets of flow wrapper 220 are then sealed on opposing edges by any suitable method, such as by opposing fin wheels or a horizontal sealing bar. This process also provides a continuous tubular flow wrapper disposed around multiple instances of the product 200 as the wrapper flows in the feed direction 210.

The conveyor 205 then feeds the product 200 disposed in the flow wrapper 220 to the sealing station 225. In step 110, the sealing station 225 creates a leading seal 230 forming a sealed leading edge and a trailing seal 235 forming a sealed trailing edge across the flow wrapper 220 on either side of the product 200. The seals may be formed by any suitable apparatus including, for example, a rotary or box motion cross seal and can be any suitable seal, including, for example, a hot seal or a cold seal.

At least one of the leading seal 230 and the trailing seal 235 are non-linear (in that the seal does not form a straight line from beginning to end) and these two seals are different from one another with respect to a lateral contour across the flow wrapper 220. If desired, in step 115 the leading seal 230 and the trailing seal 235 can be formed at separate sealing stations wherein one station forms the leading seal 230 and another station forms the trailing seal 235.

By one approach, both of the leading seal 230 and the trailing seal 235 are non-linear seals forming non-linear seal edges. In one example, the leading seal 230 and the trailing seal 235 are arcuate seals. More specifically, the leading seal 230 and the trailing seal 235 may be arcuate and oppose one another such that the two seals have differing lateral contours. This example apparatus could be used to form a generally circular package, allowing for linear areas on two sides of the package to bridge the seals and/or fold of the flow wrapper 220.

After the product 200 has been sealed in the flow wrapper 220, in one example, the conveyor 205 feeds it to a cutting station 240. In step 120, the cutting station 240 cuts a leading periphery edge 245 and a trailing periphery edge 250 across the flow wrapper 220 on either side of the product 200. At least one of the leading periphery edge 245 and the trailing periphery edge 250 is non-linear. By one approach, at least one non-linear periphery edge is complementary to a corresponding one of the leading seal 230 and the trailing seal 235.

In one example, the leading periphery edge 245 and the trailing periphery edge 250 are cut using a die, such as, for example, a rotary die. If desired, in step 125, the leading periphery edge 245 and the trailing periphery edge 250 can be formed at separate cutting stations wherein one station cuts the leading periphery edge 245 and another station cuts the trailing periphery edge.

An example apparatus and package is described with reference to FIGS. 3-5. In this example, a seal insert 300 is configured to be inserted into a heated rotary die (not shown). The rotary die would then heat the seal insert 300 to a sufficient temperature to form a hot seal in the flow wrapper 220 on one side of the product 200. By one approach, the seal insert 300 has a plurality of ridges 305 disposed generally parallel with the feed direction 210. By another approach, the seal insert 300 could be substantially smooth or have other patterns of ridges.

The seal insert 300 forms the leading seal 230 and the trailing seal 235 on an example package 400. The package 400 has a top seal 405 formed by opposing fin wheels and a bottom fold 407 to form a tubular shape out of the flow wrapper 220. With the product 200 disposed in the flow wrapper 220, the leading seal 230 is formed by contacting a middle portion 310 of the seal insert 300 with the flow wrapper 220 on a first side 410 of the product 200. At the same time that the conveyor 205 feeds the product 200 in the feed direction 210, the rotary die rotates the seal insert 300, which contacts the side portions 315 of the seal insert 300 with the flow wrapper 220 and thereby extends the leading seal 230 to the top and bottom of the flow wrapper. This creates a hermetic seal on the first side 410 of the product 200.

Likewise, the trailing seal 235 is formed by contacting the top and bottom of the flow wrapper 220 with the side portions 315 of a second seal insert 300. In this example, the second seal insert 300 is provided on a second rotary die (not shown) at a separate sealing station. At the same time that the conveyor 205 feeds the product 200 in the feed direction 210, the second rotary die rotates the seal insert 300, which rotates the side portions 315 to eventually contact the flow wrapper 220 with the middle portion 310 of the second seal insert 300. After the trailing seal 235 is finished, the product 200 is hermetically sealed within the flow wrapper 220.

A third rotary die (not shown) then creates the leading periphery edge 245. As the product 200 travels in the feed direction 210, the third rotary die contacts the flow wrapper 220 and cuts the leading periphery edge 245. Similarly, a fourth rotary die (not shown) creates the trailing periphery edge 250. As the product 200 travels in the feed direction 210, the fourth rotary die contacts the flow wrapper 220 and cuts the trailing periphery edge 250.

Any flow wrapper scrap created by the use of non-linear or non-complementary periphery edges can be removed from the process by use of a vacuum disposed underneath or proximal to the cutting stations.

In this example, the leading seal 230 is arcuate and generally complementary to the product 200 disposed within the flow wrapper 220. Similarly, the trailing seal 235 is arcuate, opposes the leading seal 230, and is generally complementary to the product 200. Likewise, the leading periphery edge 245 is generally complementary to the leading seal 230 and the trailing periphery edge 250 is generally complementary to the trailing seal 235.

A person of ordinary skill in the art, however, will recognize that the above described process could be performed in any combination of steps, including cutting the flow wrapper prior to sealing, cutting and sealing one edge prior to the second edge, or sealing and cutting one edge prior to the second edge.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept. For example, the method and apparatus has been described above with respect to a horizontal conveyor, however, it could also be utilized in a vertical configuration. Additionally, for example, during the sealing process, the flow wrapper may be filled with air from a blower to help reduce damage to the product or with a gas to create modified atmosphere packaging to retard the growth of bacteria. 

1. An apparatus comprising: a product; a flow wrapper having a sealed leading edge and a sealed trailing edge and wherein the flow wrapper is disposed and sealed about the product, wherein; at least one of the sealed leading edge and the sealed trailing edge comprises a non-linear seal; the sealed leading edge and the sealed trailing edge are different from one another with respect to a lateral contour across the flow wrapper.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the product is edible.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein both of the sealed leading edge and the sealed trailing edge comprise non-linear seals.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the non-linear seals of the sealed leading edge and the sealed trailing edge comprise arcuate seals.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the arcuate seals of the sealed leading edge and the sealed trailing edge oppose one another.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the sealed leading edge and the sealed trailing edge further comprises at least one non-linear periphery.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the at least one non-linear periphery is complimentary to a corresponding seal edge.
 8. A method comprising: providing a product; disposing the product within a flow wrapper; forming a leading seal and a trailing seal across the flow wrapper on either side of the product, wherein at least one of the leading seal and the trailing seal comprises a non-linear seal; the leading seal and the trailing seal are different from one another with respect to a lateral contour across the flow wrapper.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the product is edible.
 10. The method of claim 8 wherein both of the leading seal and the trailing seal comprise non-linear seals.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the non-linear seals of the leading seal and the trailing seal comprise arcuate seals.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the arcuate seals of the leading seal and the trailing seal oppose one another.
 13. The method of claim 8 wherein forming a leading seal and a trailing seal across the flow wrapper on either side of the product further comprises using separate stations to form the leading seal and the trailing seal.
 14. The method of claim 8 further comprising cutting a leading periphery edge and a trailing periphery edge on either side of the product, wherein at least one of the leading periphery edge and the trailing periphery edge comprises a non-linear periphery edge.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the non-linear periphery edge is complimentary to a corresponding one of the leading seal and the trailing seal.
 16. The method of claim 14 wherein cutting the leading periphery edge and the trailing periphery edge on either side of the product further comprises using a die to cut the leading periphery edge and the trailing periphery edge.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the die is a rotary die.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein cutting a leading periphery edge and a trailing periphery edge on either side of the product further comprises using a separate station to cut the leading periphery edge and the trailing periphery edge. 